The Definitive Guide to Import and Export Freight Services into/from Heihe City：Enabling Global Business Growth
2. City Introduction
2.1 Geographical Location
Heihe, located in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China, is strategically positioned in the northern part of the province. It serves as a crucial transportation and trade hub in the region, bordering Russia directly. The city is traversed by major highways and railways, enabling the smooth flow of goods both within the country and for international trade. Its location on the Heilongjiang River provides convenient access to water – borne transportation routes, which is essential for cross – border trade.
2.2 Economic Characteristics
Heihe has a diverse economic structure. The agricultural sector is a significant part of its economy, with fertile land producing abundant grains, such as soybeans, wheat, and corn. These agricultural products are not only supplied to the domestic market but also processed and exported. The city also has a vibrant border – trade industry, taking advantage of its geographical proximity to Russia. A wide range of products, including light – industrial goods, daily – use items, and building materials, are traded across the border. In addition, there is a certain scale of mining and manufacturing industries. The mining industry extracts minerals such as gold, copper, and iron. The manufacturing industry focuses on producing products related to the local resources and the needs of border – trade, such as agricultural machinery, construction equipment, and some light – industrial products. In recent years, emerging industries such as e – commerce, modern logistics, and tourism – related products manufacturing have started to develop, further driving the demand for import and export freight services.
2.3 Administrative Regions and Freight – Related Areas
Heihe administers several regions, each contributing uniquely to the freight business:
- Aihui District: As the political, economic, and cultural center of Heihe, it houses numerous trading companies, business service providers, and commercial complexes. It is a major source of consumer goods for both the local market and export, especially daily – use products, clothing, and some light – industrial products. The district also has some emerging e – commerce enterprises that contribute to the export of various products through online platforms. It plays a key role in coordinating border – trade activities, with many companies engaged in cross – border transactions.
- Xunke County: Rich in agricultural and forestry resources, it is a significant exporter of agricultural products and forest products. The county produces high – quality grains, fruits, vegetables, and timber. It also has some processing industries for these products, such as food processing, wood – product manufacturing, and forest – based handicraft production, which increase the value – added of the exported goods. For example, there are factories that process grains into flour and timber into furniture.
- Sunwu County: Focuses on the agricultural and mining industries. It exports a large amount of agricultural products, such as grains, and some mineral products like gold – related products and processed copper. The county also has some light – industrial manufacturing, contributing to the export of products like textiles and simple machinery parts. It imports some advanced mining equipment and agricultural machinery to support local production.
- Beian City: It has a relatively developed industrial base, mainly in the fields of food processing, machinery manufacturing, and building materials production. The food – processing industry produces a variety of products, including processed grains, dairy products, and meat products. The machinery – manufacturing industry exports some agricultural machinery and construction equipment. The building – materials industry supplies products such as cement, bricks, and tiles to both the local and neighboring construction markets.
- Wudalianchi City: Known for its unique natural resources and tourism industry, it exports some tourism – related products, such as souvenirs, handicrafts, and local specialties. The city also has some agricultural products for export, such as high – quality grains and fruits. In addition, it has a certain amount of light – industrial manufacturing, contributing to the export of products like clothing and daily – use chemicals.
- Nenjiang City: With a strong focus on the agricultural and energy – related industries. It exports a large amount of agricultural products, such as grains, and some energy – related products like coal – related products. The city also has some processing industries for agricultural products, such as food processing, feed production, and agricultural – by – product processing. These processed products are exported to various regions, both domestically and internationally.
3. Port and Airport Information
3.1 Port / Sea Freight
3.1.1 Port Selection
Heihe Port is an important port for Heihe’s international trade. It is a border – river port on the Heilongjiang River, mainly handling cross – border river – borne freight with Russia. For ocean – borne freight, Heihe is connected to Dalian Port through a combination of road and railway transportation. Road transportation offers flexibility for small – to – medium – scale cargo shipments, allowing for door – to – door service. Railway transportation, on the other hand, is more suitable for large – volume and long – distance transportation, ensuring the efficient transfer of goods from Heihe to international destinations via Dalian Port.
3.1.2 Port Information
- Heihe Port: As a border – river port, it has berths suitable for river – borne vessels. The port is equipped with basic cargo – handling equipment, such as cranes and conveyor belts. It has storage facilities for temporary storage of goods. Heihe Port mainly handles goods for cross – border trade with Russia, including agricultural products, light – industrial products, and some building materials. It has efficient customs – clearance facilities to ensure the smooth flow of goods across the border.
- D 大连 Port: A world – class comprehensive port with modern deep – water berths that can accommodate various large – scale vessels, including bulk carriers, container ships, and ro – ro ships. The port is equipped with advanced storage facilities, such as large – scale warehouses, modern container yards, and specialized storage areas for different types of goods. The cargo – handling equipment is state – of – the – art, with high – efficiency gantry cranes, automated container – handling systems, and advanced conveyor belts. These facilities ensure the efficient handling of large – volume cargo shipments, whether it’s transporting industrial products, agricultural products, or mining products.
3.1.3 International Routes
- Russia: Through Heihe Port, Heihe has established close trade routes with Russia. The main exports to Russia include agricultural products, light – industrial products, and some building materials. For example, Heihe exports grains, clothing, and building materials to Russia. In return, it imports timber, minerals, and some industrial products from Russia.
- Asia: Regular shipping services from Dalian Port connect to major Asian ports such as Busan in South Korea, Tokyo in Japan, and Shanghai in China. Heihe’s exports to Asia mainly include agricultural products, light – industrial products, and some manufacturing products. For example, Heihe exports soybeans to South Korea and imports some high – tech components from Japan.
- Europe: Regular container ships ply from Dalian Port to European ports such as Rotterdam and Hamburg. High – value – added products from Heihe’s emerging industries, such as some high – tech agricultural machinery parts and processed food products, are exported to Europe.
3.2 Air Freight
Heihe Airport offers air – freight services for the city. Although it is a regional airport, it provides a range of air – freight services, including express freight, general cargo transportation, and special – cargo handling.
- Fast and Efficient: Air freight can quickly transport high – value, time – sensitive goods from Heihe to major international destinations within a few hours to a day or two. This is especially suitable for products like high – tech components, precision instruments, and some fresh agricultural products with short shelf – lives.
- Cargo Types: Predominantly transports high – tech products (such as components for the new – energy and high – tech industries), high – value – added agricultural products (such as premium – grade grains and fresh fruits), and some high – value – added industrial products (such as high – tech agricultural machinery parts).
- Logistics Services: The airport cooperates with local logistics companies in Heihe to provide “door – to – door” services. Goods can be directly transported from factories or warehouses in Heihe to the airport and then swiftly delivered to the destination by air. It also offers value – added services such as cargo tracking, warehousing, and distribution.
3.3 Inland Transportation Modes
Heihe has a diverse set of inland transportation modes:
- Road Transportation: Ideal for short – distance and small – to – medium – batch cargo transportation. The road network in Heihe is well – developed, with national highways, provincial roads, and urban roads connecting different regions. Professional logistics companies offer “door – to – door” services, ensuring the quick transportation of goods from factories or warehouses to the port or airport.
- Railway Transportation: Heihe has a relatively complete railway network, with several major railway lines passing through the city. Railway transportation is suitable for large – batch and long – distance cargo transportation. It is characterized by high efficiency, low cost, and high punctuality. Through railway transportation, goods can be transported to Dalian Port or other domestic destinations, and can be seamlessly connected with sea freight. The railway network can handle various types of cargo, including agricultural products, minerals, and industrial products.
- Inland Waterway Transportation: Along the Heilongjiang River, there are inland waterway transportation routes. These routes are mainly used for the transportation of bulk goods such as grains, building materials, and some industrial products. The inland waterway transportation also plays a role in connecting Heihe with other inland areas and in cross – border river – borne trade with Russia.
4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
4.1 Cost – related
4.1.1 FCL and LCL (Sea Freight)
Full Container Load (FCL) and Less than Container Load (LCL) are two common transportation modes in sea freight, and they have different cost structures:
- FCL Transportation Cost: The cost of FCL mainly includes basic ocean freight, which is determined by factors such as the distance of transportation, the type of goods, and the size of the container. Port handling charges cover the loading and unloading operations at the origin (Heihe Port or Dalian Port in this case) and destination ports. There are also document fees for handling necessary shipping documents, such as bills of lading and packing lists. Additionally, factors like bunker adjustment factor (BAF) and currency adjustment factor (CAF) may affect the overall cost, as they are adjusted according to international oil prices and exchange rate fluctuations.
- LCL Transportation Cost: LCL costs are more complex. In addition to a proportionate share of the basic ocean freight, it includes LCL service fees. These fees cover the costs of consolidating and distributing goods in the container. Since multiple shippers’ goods are combined in one container, there are additional charges for storage, sorting, and repackaging in the warehouse. LCL is usually charged based on the larger of the weight or volume of the goods, that is, “charging by the larger measure”. At the destination port, there may also be additional fees for unpacking and delivering the goods to the consignee.